The present invention relates to suspension systems for automotive vehicles and particularly to a vehicle suspension member assembly suitable for a multi-link type rear suspension system.
A vehicle rear suspension member assembly consists of, as shown in FIG. 4, a pair of left and right side members 50 and 50 spaced from each other laterally of a vehicle body, and a pair of front and rear cross members 51 and 52 spaced from each other longitudinally of the vehicle body. Each of the cross members 51 and 52 is attached at opposite longitudinal ends to the side members 50 and 50, whereby to constitute a generally rectangular framework. Each side member 50 has at the front and rear ends thereof resilient supports 53 and 54. The suspension member assembly is resiliently supported on the vehicle body by way of the resilient supports 53 and 54.
Each side member 50 is provided with a pair of front and rear lower link connecting brackets 55 for connecting thereto front and rear connecting portions of a lower link, respectively. On the front and rear cross members 51 and 52 is supported a differential gear (not shown) by way of resilient bushings 56. Each side member 50 is further provided with a pair of upper link connecting brackets 57 for connecting thereto upper links, respectively.
For reduction of the cost, common use of parts is required. However, in case the resilient support points P2 for supporting the front portion of the above described suspension member assembly on the vehicle body are varied or modified to cope with a variation of the tread of the vehicle due to a variation of a kind of vehicle, without changing the resilient support points P1 for supporting the front portion of the suspension member assembly on the vehicle body, it is required to change or modify all of the above described four parts 50, 51 and 52 and therefore it is impossible to make common use of those parts in vehicles having different treads.
In order that the front resilient support points P2 can be moved laterally outward of the vehicle body without changing or modifying the side members 50 and 50, while holding the rear resilient support points P1 unchanged or fixed, each side member 50 must be turned laterally outward of the vehicle body about the rear resilient support point P1, thus causing variations in the angles of inclination of the links to be connected to the side members 50. Accordingly, common use of the links makes it difficult to attain common use of the side member 50.
Since the differential gear is supported on the front and rear cross members 51 and 52 which are in turn supported on the m vehicle body by way of the side members 50, a large shearing force is applied to the connecting portions or joints (welded portions) between the cross members 51 and 52 and the side members 50 and 50, particularly to the connecting portion or joints between the rear side cross member 52 and the side member 50, due to a force supplied thereto from the differential gear (i.e., so-called windup input), thus requiring a countermeasure for enabling the suspension member assembly to retain a sufficient strength and rigidity.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a vehicle suspension member assembly which enables to make common use of parts in vehicles having different treads.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a vehicle suspension member assembly of the foregoing character which has a sufficient strength and rigidity.
To accomplish the above objects, there is provided according to an aspect of the present invention a novel and improved vehicle suspension member assembly comprising a pair of front and rear cross members spaced from each other longitudinally of a vehicle body and elongated laterally of the vehicle body, a pair of side members spaced from each other laterally of the vehicle body and elongated longitudinally of the vehicle body, the side members and the front and rear cross members being joined to constitute a generally rectangular suspension member subassembly, a pair of front resilient supports for supporting a front portion of the subassembly on the vehicle body, and a pair of rear resilient supports for supporting a rear portion of the subassembly on the vehicle body, wherein the rear resilient supports are disposed at opposite longitudinal end portions of the rear cross member, respectively, and the front resilient supports are disposed at front end portions of the side members, respectively, and wherein the front cross member is disposed between the side members.
According to a further aspect of the present invention, there is provided a novel and improved vehicle suspension member assembly comprising a pair of front and rear cross members spaced from each other longitudinally of a vehicle body and elongated laterally of the vehicle body, a pair of side members spaced from each other laterally of the vehicle body and elongated longitudinally of the vehicle body, the side members and the front and rear cross members being joined to constitute a generally rectangular suspension member subassembly, a pair of front resilient supports for supporting a front portion of the subassembly on the vehicle body, and a pair of rear resilient supports for supporting a rear portion of the subassembly on the vehicle body, wherein the front resilient supports are disposed at opposite longitudinal end portions of the front cross member, end portions of the side members, respectively, and wherein the rear cross member is disposed between the side members.